?  F 


SK^a^OM 


OF 


-<DUNBARTON> 


NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


BY     IVIISS     ELLA     IVllLLS 


IMANCHESTER,    N.    H. 

IVIA-NCHESXER    HISTORIC    ASSOCIATION, 

1©02. 


SK^a^OM 


OF 


^DUNBARTON> 


NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


BY     NIISS     ELLA     N4ILLS. 


NIANCHESTER,   N.    H. 
rvlANCHBiSTER    HISTORIC    ASSOCIATION, 
.     1G02. 


F^4 


0 


Sketch  of  Dunbarton,  N.  H. 


BY    ELLA    MILLS. 


Dunbarton  is  a  town  "set  upon  a  hill  which  cannot  be  hid." 
The  highest  point  of  land  is  on  the  farm  of  Benjamin  Lord, 
north  of  the  Center,  and  is  779  feet  above  the  sea  level.  From  that 
spot,  and  from  many  other  places  nearly  as  high,  the  views  of 
hills  and  mountains  are  beautiful  and  grand  beyond  description. 

The  twin  Uncanoonucs  are  near  neighbors  on  the  south, 
Monadnock,  farther  off  on  the  south-west,  and  Keursarge  twenty 
miles  to  the  north  west.  On  the  northern  horizon  are  seen 
Mount  Washington  and  other  peaks  of  the  White  Mountains. 

The  longest  hill  in  town  is  the  mile-long  Mills  hill,  and  mid- 
way on  its  slope  live  descendants  of  Thomas  Mills,  one  of  the 
first  settlers.  Among  other  hills  are  Duncanowett,  Hammond, 
Tenney,  Grapevine,  Harris,  Legache,  and   Prospecc  Hills. 

No  rivers  run  through  the  town,  but  there  are  numerous 
brooks  where  trout  fishing  is  pursued  with  more  or  less  success. 

No  body  of  watet"  is  large  enough  to  be  called  a  lake,  but 
Gorham  Fond  is  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water  and  on  its  banks 
picnics  are  held.  Stark's  and  Kimball's  Ponds  have  furnished 
water  power  for  mills,  the  latter,  owned  by  Willie  F.  Paige, 
is  still  in  use.  Long  Pond,  in  the  south  part  of  the  town,  was 
the  scene  of  a  tragedy  in  1879,  when  Moses  Merrill,  an  officer 
at  the  State  Industrial  School,  Manchester,  was  drowned  in  an 
ineffectual  attempt  to  save  an  inmate  of  that  institution. 

One  portion  of  the  south  part  of  the  town  is  called  Skeeter- 
boro,  another  Mountalona,  so  named  by  James  Rogers,  one  of 
the  first   settlers,  from    the  place    in  Ireland    from   whence    he 


/n 


2  MANCHESTER    HISTORIC    COLLECTIONS, 

came.^  East  of  the  Center  is  Guinea,  so  called  because  some 
negroes  once  lived  there.  The  village  of  North  Dunbarton  is 
also  called  Page's  Corner;  and  not  far  away  to  the  eastward  is 
a  hill  known  as  Onestack,  because  one  large  stack  of  hay  stood 
there  for  many  years.     A  brook  bears  the  same  name. 

Those  who  know  Dunbarton  only  in  the  present  can  hardly 
realize  that  1450  people  ever  lived  there  at  one  time,  but  that, 
was  the  census  in  1820.  The  first  census,  taken  1767,  was 
271.  In  1840  it  was  1067  ;  in  1890,  only  523.  The  last  census 
gave  about  575. 

The  first  settlement  was  made  in  1740^  by  James  Rogers  and 
Joseph  Putney  on  the  land  known  as  the  "  Great  Meadows,'* 
now  owned  by  James  M.  Bailey.  They  were  driven  away  by 
the  Indians  for  a  time.  A  stone  now  marks  the  spot  where 
stood  the  only  apple  trte  spared  by  the  Indians.  Probably  the 
first  boy  born  in  town  belonged  to  one  of  these  families.  James 
Rogers  was  shot  by  Ebenezer  Ayer,  who  mistook  him  in  the  dark 
for  a  bear,  as  he  wore  a  bearskin  coat.  He  was  the  father  of 
Major  Robert  Rogers,  celebrated  as  the  leader  of  the  rauger 
corps  of  the  French  and  Indian  wars. 

About  175 1  William  Stinson,  John  Hogg,  and  Thomas  Mills 
settled  in  the  west  part  of  the  town.  Sarah,  daughter  of  Thom- 
as Mills,  was  the  first  girl  born  in  town.  Her  birthplace  was  a 
log  cabin  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  John  C.  and  George  F. 
Mills. 

For  fourteen  years  the  town  was  called  Starkstown  in  honor 
of  Archibald  Stark,  one  of  the  first  land  owners  (though  not  a 
resident),  and  father  of  General  John  Slark,  In  1765  the 
town  was  incorporated,  and    was  named,    with  a  slight   change, 


1.  Tim  c.irly  wiiters  frenrrnlly  rrcdiicd  .J.imcR  Rrprors  with  lieingof  Srotch- 
Irisli  Diilivily,  "wing  lo  ilio  fact  ili'it  lie  w.ts  coiifiisoij  wUli  anot'nT  per^mi  of  tlio 
fiiiine  name  wli"  UvmI  in  LonilDinleny.  (Si-i'  DruiiimoiMrd  "J.mics  Uo'.'-it.s  of 
Dunhaitoii  ami  .J.inie.-i  Itoirers  of  Lunilondcrry.")  Tlie  Diinliarton  Itotfcrs  was  un- 
(lonliieilly  of  Kniilisli  '  irlli,  in  wlnrh  case  the  tenii  "  MmintMlona,"  or  "  Aloiitc- 
louv."  must  have  had  some  other  derivation  tliau  tliat  commonly  ascribed  to  it. 
—  EuiTuii. 

3.  Probably  17i9.  ami  tlio  U^Riirs  fimllyat  least  cime  from  Massachusetts. 
Thi-i  vvltn  tli<(  i'litn.ty  or  I'udiiey  faiuity  seeiii  to  have  been  located  iu  the  winter  of 
1839  1810.  —  Editor. 


SKETCH    OF    DUNBARTON,    N,    H.  3 

for  Dumbarton^  in  Scotland  near  which  place  Stark  and  other 
emigrants  had  lived. 

Dunbarton  was  one  of  the  towns  taken  from  Hillsborough 
County  to  form  the  County  of  Merrimack.  Its  centennial  was 
duly  celebrated  and  attended  by  a  vast  concourse  of  invited 
guests  and  towns  people.  A  report  of  its  proceedings  was  com- 
piled by  Rev.  Sylvanus  Hayward.  Though  small  in  area  and 
population,  Dunbarton  occupies  a  large  place  in  the  hearts  of 
its  sons  and  daughters.  However  dear  our  adopted  homes  may 
become,  we  still  feel  that  "  whatever  skies  above  us  rise  the 
hills,  the  hil!s  are  home." 

At  the  centennial  Rev.  George  A.  Putnam  paid  a  glowing 
tribute  to  his  native  town,  saying  :  "  Dunbarton  is  one  of  the 
most  intelligent  and  best  educated  communities  in  New  Eng. 
land.  I  think  it  will  be  hard  to  find  another  place  where,  in 
proportion  to  its  population,  so  many  young  men  have  been 
liberally  educated  and  have  entered  some  of  the  learned  pro- 
fessions, where  so  many  young  men  and  women  have  become 
first  class  teachers  of  common  schools.  My  own  observation 
has  been  altogether  in  favor  of  Dunbarton  in  this  particular. 
And  it  is  clear  as  any  historic  fact  the  superior  education  of 
Dunbarton's  children  has  been  largely  due  to  her  religious  insti- 
tutions and  Ciiristian  teachers." 

That  the  town  is  also  honored  by  her  neighbors  is  shown  by 
the  following  instances  :  Many  years  ago  it  was  said  that  a 
Dartmouth  student  from  an  adjoining  town,  when  asked  from 
what  town  he  came,  answered  :  "  From  the  town  next  to  Dun- 
barton." Recently  the  chairman  of  the  school  board  in  Goflfs- 
town,  in  his  annual  report,  compared  the  town  favorably  to 
Dunbarton  with  regard  to  the  number  of  college  graduates. 

Very  soon  after  the  permanent  settlement  of  the  town,  a 
committe  was  appointed  to  build  a  meeting-house  at  Dunbar- 
ton Center.  It  was  finished  previous  to  1767,  and  stood  in  the 
middle  of   the   common.     Before    that    time    it  is    related    that 


3.  From  DiiiiibriKon,  the  ancient  name  given  to  a  fort  raised  by  the  Brittous  on 
the  north  bank  of  ihe  CJyUe  In  early  times.  -  EuiroiJ. 


4  MANCHESTER    HISTORIC    COLLECTIONS. 

"  Mr.  McGregor  preached  in  the  open  air,  on  the  spot  now  con- 
secrated as  the  resting  place  of  the  dead."  This  first  building 
was  a  low,  frame  structure,  without  pews,  with  seats  of  rough 
planks  resting  on  chestnut  logs,  and  a  pulpit  constructed  of 
rough  boards.  It  was  replaced  in  about  twenty  years  by  the 
building  now  known  as  the  Town  House.  This  was  used  only 
for  political  purposes  after  the  erection  of  the  third  church  on 
the  west  side  of  the  highway. 

About  thirty  years  ago  the  interior  of  the  old  building  was 
greatly  changed,  the  upper  part  being  made  into  a  hall  while 
the  square  pews  were  removed  from  the  lower  part,  only  the 
high  pulpit  remaining.  A  selectmen's  room  was  finished  in  one 
corner,  and  in  1892,  a  room  for  the  public  library.  The  outside 
remains  practically  unchanged. 

The  Rocky  Hill  Church  at  Amesbury,  Mass.,  much  like  this 
at  Dunbarton,  is  still  used  in  summer  only.  There  is  no  way  of 
warming  it,  and  people  of  the  present  day  would  not  endure 
the  hardships  their  ancestors  bore  without  a  murmur.  The 
third  church  was  built  in  1836  on  the  site  of  a  dwelling  house 
owned  by  William  Stark  ;  in  1884  it  was  remodelled,  the  pews 
modernized  and  the  ceiling  frescoed. 

The  vestry  formerly  stood  on  the  opposite  of  the  common 
and  contained  two  rooms;  prayer  meetings  were  held  in  the 
lower  room,  while  up  stairs  was  the  only  hall  in  town.  There 
were  held  the  singing  schools,  and  the  lyceum  of  long  ago;  also 
several  fall  terms  of  high  schools  ;  among  the  teachers  were 
Mark  Bailey,  William  E.  Bunten,  and  Henry  M.  Putney.  More 
than  twenty-five  years  ago  the  vestry  was  removed  to  its  present 
location  nearthe  church  and  made  more  convenient  and  attractive. 

For  about  nineteen  years  the  church  had  no  settled  pastor. 
In  1789  Waller  Harris  was  called,  and  was  ordained  August  26. 
He  prt-ached  more  than  forty  years.  Every  man  in  town  was  re- 
quired to  contribute  to  his  support  for  a  time  until  some  of  the 
other  religious  societies  rebelled.  The  "  History  of  Dunbarton  " 
says  :  "  Dr.  Harris  appropriated  the  proprietors'  grant   for  the 


SKETCH    OF    DUNBARTON,    N.    H,  O 

first  settled  minister,  and  located  himself  on  the  ministerial  lot. 
He  also,  by  a  vote  of  the  town,  obtained  the  use  of  the  parson- 
age lot,  with  an  addition  of  seventy  pounds  a  year,  one-half  to 
be  paid  in  cash,  the  other  in  corn  and  rye."  His  farm  was 
in  a  beautiful  location  houth  of  the  center,  and  was  afterwards 
owned  for  many  years  by  the  late  Deacon  John  Paige  ;  it  is 
now  the  propery  of  his  son,  Lewis  Paige. 

In  respect  to  his  farm,  buildings,  fences.  Dr.  Harris  was  a 
model  for  the  town.  Two  men  once  working  for  him  were  try- 
ing to  move  a  heavy  log.  He  told  them  how  to  manage  accord- 
ing to  philosophy  ;  finally  one  said  :  "  Well,  Dr.  Harris,  if  you 
and  your  philosophy  will  take  hold  of  that  end  of  the  log  while 
Jim  and  I  take  this  end,  I  think  we  can  move  it." 

Dr.  Harris  was  sometimes  called  the  "  Broad  axe  and  sledge- 
hammer of  the  New  Hampshire  ministry."  He  was  a  man  of 
more  than  ordinary  intellectual  endowments,  and  graduated 
from  Dartmouth  College  with  high  honors.  Prof.  Charles  G. 
Burnham  said  in  his  address  at  the  Centennial  :  "  The  influ- 
ence of  the  life  and  preaching  of  Dr.  Harris  is  manifest  today 
in  every  department  of  your  material  prosperity,  as  well  as  upon 
the  moral  and  religious  character  of  the  people,  and  will  be  for 
generations  to  come." 

Dr.  Harris  was  dismissed  July  7,  1830,  and  died  December 
25,  1843.  His  successor.  Rev.  John  M.  Putnam,  was  installed 
the  day  Dr.  Harris  was  dismissed  ;  both  were  remarkable  ex- 
temporaneous speakers.  Mr.  Putnam  was  called  one  of  the 
best  platform  speakers  in  his  profession  in  the  State. 

At  the  close  of  his  pastorate  he  went  to  reside  with  his  son  at 
Yarmouth,  Maine  ;  he  died  in  Elyria,  Ohio,  in  187 1.  He  was 
dismissed  the  day  his  successor,  Sylvanus  Hay  ward,  was  or- 
dained. Thus  for  more  than  77  years  the  church  was  not  for 
one  day  without  a  settled  pastor.  Mr.  Hayward  was  born  in 
Gilsum,  N.  H.,  and  has  written  a  history  of  his  native  town  ; 
he  was  dismissed  April,  1S66.  His  successors  were  Revs. 
George  I.  Bard,  William    E.  Spear,  who   is   now   a    lawyer    in 


b  MANCHESTER   HISTORIC   COLLECTIONS. 

Boston,  and  at  present  Secretary  of  the  Spanish  War  Claim 
Commission,  James  Wells  now  deceased.  Tillon  C.  H.  Bou- 
ton,  grandson  of  Rev.  Dr.  Nalhanitl  Bouton,  for  many  years 
pastor  of  the  North  Church,  Concord,  N.  H.,  George  Sterling, 
Avery  K.  Gleason,  and  William  A.  Bushee.  During  Mr. 
Bouton's  pastorale  a  parsonage  was  built  in  the  north  part  of 
the  village  on  land  given  by  Deacon  Daniel   H.   Parker. 

The  first  deacons  were  chosen  in  1790,  and  were  James 
Clement  and  Edward  Russell.  Others  were  Samuel  Burnham, 
David  Alexander,  John  Church,  Matthew  S.  McCurdy,  John 
Wilson,  John  MillSj  Samuel  Burnham  (a  namesake  of  the  first 
of  the  name),  who  with  Daniel  H,  Parker  served  for  many 
years.  They  were  succeeded  by  Frederic  L.  Ireland  and 
Frank  C.  Woodbury,  the  present  incumbents. 

Church  discipline  was  very  strict  in  ye  olden  time.  What 
would  the  people  of  the  present  day  think  of  being  called  to 
account  for  such  a  small  matter  as  this?  "A  complaint  was  pre- 
sented to  the  church  by  one  brother  against  another  for  un- 
Christian-like  behavior  in  suffering  himself  lo  be  carried  in  a 
light  and  vain  manner  upon  a  man's  shoulders  to  the  length  of 
a  quarter  of  a  mile.  The  church  accepted  the  complaint,  and 
summoned  the  brother  before  it.  He  appeared,  confessed  his 
fault  and  was  pardoned." 

Deacon  McCurdy  was  noted  for  his  strictness  in  keeping  the 
Sabbath.  No  food  could  be  cooked  in  the  house  on  that 
day,  and  no  work  done  at  the  barn  except  milking  and  feeding 
the  stock.  He  once,  however,  mistook  the  day  of  the  week, 
and  took  a  grist  to  mill  on  Sunday,  while  his  wife  began  the 
the  Saturday's  baking.  On  arriving  at  the  mill,  he,  of  course, 
found  it  closed,  and  on  going  to  the  miller's  house,  he  learned 
his  mistake.  He  was  so  shocked  that  he  would  not  leave  his 
grist,  but  carried  it  back  home. 

The  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  Mountalona  in  1828. 
The  first  meeting  house  was  built  by  Aaron  Elliot,  and  Isaac 
Westcoit  was  the  first  pastor.  In  the  Spring  of  1847  meetings 
were  held  at   the   Center;    Rev.  John  W.    Poland   (since   fa- 


SKETCH    OF    DUNBARTON,    N.    H.  7 

mous  as  the  maker  of  "  White  Pine  Compound  ")  preached  dur- 
ing that  season.     The  next  year  a  church  was  built. 

The  pastors  were  Revs.  H.  D.  Hodges  (who,  with  Rev. 
John  Putnam,  compiled  a  grammar),  Samuel  Cook,  Horace 
Eaton,  Jesse  M.  Coburn,  Washington  Coburn,  John  Peacock 
(as  a  supply),  Stephen  Pillsbury,  Timothy  B  Eastman,  Elias 
Whittemore,  Samuel  Woodbury,  Adoniram  J  Hopkins,  Dr. 
Lucien  Hayden,  J.  J.  Peck,  Charles  Willand,  and  the  present  in- 
cumbent, S.  H.  Buffam.  This  list  may  not  be  exactly  correct. 
At  intervals  no  services  have  been  held.  Nathaniel  Wheeler, 
John  O.  Merrill  and  John  Paige  were  deacons  for  many  years. 
In  1899  the  house  was  painted  and  otherwise  improved. 

The  old  house  at  Mountalona  was  used  at  times  by  the  Bap- 
tists. Methodist  services  were  also  held  there.  It  was  burned 
about  seventeen  years  ago. 

A  Universalist  society  was  formed  in  1830  by  Nathan  Gutter- 
son,  Joshua  F.  Hoyt,  Silas  Burnham,  Alexander  Gilchrist 
and  others  and  services  were  held  in  the  old  Congrega- 
tional Church.  Rev.  Nathan  R.  Wright  preached  here  for  four 
years  and  lived  in  a  house  near  the  late  John  C  Ray's  which 
was  burned  about  30  years  ago.  It  was  afterwards  known  as  the 
Hope  house  from  Samuel  B  Hope,  one  of  the  owners.  Mr.Wright 
was  the  father  of  Hon.  Carroll  D.  Wright  who  was  born  in  1S40. 
The  family  removed  from  town  when  he  was  three  years  of  age. 

In  1S64  oi"  '865  Episcopnl  Church  services  were  held  by 
clergymen  from  St.  Paul's  School  in  school  houses  in  the  west 
part  of  the  town,  afterwards  in  the  Hope  house.  In  the  summer 
of  1866  the  corner  stone  of  the  church  was  laid  on  land  given  by 
the  Misses  Stark.  The  money  to  build  the  church  was  collected 
by  their  grand  neice,  Miss  Mary  Stark,  a  devoted  churchwoman, 
who  died  in  18S1.  I'he  church  is  a  lasting  memorial  of  her.  It 
is  a  beautiful  building  with  a  seating  capacity  of  iio.  The 
fine  chancel  window  was  gi^en  by  the  father  of  the  Rector  of 
St.  Paul's  School.  The  church  was  consecrated  in  1868,  and 
named  the  Church  of  St  John  the  Evangelist.  For  about  four- 
teen years  the  services  wore  in  charge  of  Rev.  Joseph  H.  Coit, 


8  MANCHESTER    HISTORIC    COLLECTIONS. 

the  present  rector  of  St.  Paul's  School.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Edward  M.  Parker,  a  master  of  the  school,  who  with  the 
assistance  of  Mr.  William  VV.  Flint,  lay  preacher,  holds  services 
in  Dunbarton  and  Eist  VVeare.  In  1890  the  church  was  taken 
down  and  re-erected  in  North  Dunbarton  on  land  given  by 
David  Sargent  sou  h  of  the  school-house,  in  front  of  a  beautiful 
pine  grove.  A  service  of  re  dedication  was  held  december  15, 
1890.  Frank  B.  Mills  was  organist  and  leader  of  the  singing 
with  only  a  short  interval  until  his  removal  from  town  in  1895. 
The  organist  at  the  present  time  is  Miss  Sara  E.  Perkins. 

After  the  removal  of  the  church,  a  brass  tablet  in  memory  of 
the  Misses  Harriet  and  Charlotte  Stark  was  placed  therein  by 
Rev.  Joseph   H.  Coit, 

Dunbarton  has  had  many  fine  musicians  within  her  borders. 
Col.  Samuel  B.  Hammond  led  the  singing  in  the  Congregational 
Church  for  a  long  term  of  years,  resigning  in  1875.  ^^e  choir 
was  formerly  large  and  numbered  among  its  members  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  (Whipple)  Brown,  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Agnes  French, 
Olive  CaldArell,  now  Mrs.  Morrill  of  Minnesota,  the  daughters 
of  the  late  Deacon  Parker,  Mrs.  Harris  Wilson,  Nathaniel  T. 
Safiord,  William  S.  Twiss,  and  others. 

Before  the  advent  of  the  cabinet  organ  instrumental  music 
was  furnished  by  a  double  bass  viol  played  by  Harris  Wilson, 
a  single  bass-viol  played  by  Eben  Kimball,  a  melodeon  played 
by  Andrew  Twiss,  and  one  or  two  violins.  When  the  church 
was  remodeled  the  organ  and  choir  were  removed  from  the  gal- 
lery to  a  place  beside  the  pulpit.  Mrs.  Mary  (Wilson)  Bunten 
is  now  organist.  For  several  years  a  quartette,  consisting 
of  William  S.  Twiss,  Frank  B.  Mills,  Horace  Caldwell,  and 
Frederic  L.  Ireland  sang  most  acceptably  on  many  occasions, 
especially  furnishing  appropriate  music  at  funerals,  until  the 
removal  from  town  of  Mr.  Twiss  in  1884.  At  various  times 
signing  schools  were  taught  by  Eben  Kimball,  Joseph  C.  Cram 
of  Deerfield,  "  Uncle  Ben  "  Davis  of  Concord,  and  at  Page's 
Corner,  by  Frank  B.  Mills. 

The  first  School  houses  in    town  were   few  and   far  between, 


SKETCH    OF    DUNBARTON,    N,    H.  V 

with    no  free    transportation  as    practiced    at  the  present   lime. 
Hon.  Albert    S.  Batchellor,  of  Littleton,  in  searc'.iing  the  col- 
umns of  a  file  of  old  newspapers  recently,  came   across  the    fol- 
lowing which    will    be  of  interest  to  Dunbarton  people  : 

"  Dunbarton  May  ye  15,  1787. 
We  the  subscribers  Promise  to  pay  to  Mrs.  Sarah  Ayers 
Young  three  shillings  per  week  for  five  Months  to  Teach  school 
seven  or  Eight  Hours  Each  Day  Except  Sunday  &  Saturday 
half  a  day,  to  be  paid  in  Butter  at  half  Pifterreen  per  lb.  flax 
the  same  or  Rie  at  4  shillings,  Corn  at  3s.  Each.  Persons  to 
pay  their  Proportion  to  what  scollers  they  sign  for  Witness  Our 
Hands.  Thomas  Hannette  2  Scollers  'Fhomas  Husfe  i  Jame- 
son Galley  2  Andrew  fofter  i    John  Bunton  3    John  Fulton  2  " 

Before  1805  Dunbarton  had  three  school  districts.  The  first 
house  was  at  the  Center.  Rev.  Abraham  W.  Burnham,  of 
Rindge,  in  response  to  the  toast,  "Our  Early  Inhabitants,"  at 
the  Centennial,  said  :  "  My  brother  Samuel,  when  so  young 
that  my  mother  was  actually  afraid  the  bears  would  catch  him, 
walked  two  miles  to  school."  This  same  boy  was  the  first  col- 
lege graduate  from  town,  in  the  class  of  1795.  Robert  Hogg, 
called  Master  Hogg,  was  the  first  male  teacher,  and  Sarah 
Clement  the  first  female  teacher. 

Another  teacher  of  the  long  ago  was  Master  John  Fulton, 
who  lived  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  John  W.  Farrar.  In 
those  days  pupils  often  tried  to  secure  a  holiday  by  "  barring 
out  "  the  teacher  on  New  Year's  Day.  More  than  once 
Master  John  Fulton  found  himself  in  this  situation.  On  one 
occasion  he  went  to  one  of  the  neighbors  where  he  borrowed  a 
tall  white  hat  and  a  long  white  coat  with  several  capes. 
Thus  disguised  he  mounted  a  white  horse  and  rode  rapidly  to 
the  school  house.  The  unsuspecting  pupils  rushed  to  the 
door,  when,  quick  as  thought,  Master  Fulton  sprang  from  the 
horse,  entered  the  school  house  and  called  the  school  to  order. 
At  another  time,  while  teaching  in  a  private  house  in  Bow,  find- 
ing himself  "  barred  out,"  he  entered  a  chamber  window  by 
a  ladder,  removed  some  loose  boards  from  the  floor  (the 
house  being  unfinished)    and   descended   among  his  astonished 


10  MANCHESTER    HISTORIC    COLLECTIONS. 

pupils.  Dr.  Harris  regularly  visited  the  schools,  and  catechised 
the  children  ;  he  prepared  many  young  men  for  college  and 
directed  the  theological  studies    of  those  fitting  for  the  ministry. 

Many  clergymen  of  the  town  served  on  the  school  committee. 
Districts  increased  in  number  till  there  were  eleven.  In  1867  the 
town  system  was  adopted,  and  the  number  of  schools  reduced 
to  four  or  five.  Notwithstanding  the  short  terms,  the  long  dis- 
tances, .'ind  lack  of  text-books  (now  provided  by  the  town),  Dun- 
barton  has  produced  many  fine  scholars,  and  has  provided 
a  large  number  of  teachers  for  her  own  and  other  schools. 

I  think  no  family  has  furnished  as  many  educated  members 
as  the  Burnhams.  A  short  time  prior  to  1775  Deacon  Samuel 
Burnham  came  from  Esses^  Mass.,  to  the  south  part  of  Dunbar- 
ton.  Of  his  thirteen  children,  four  sons  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College.  In  1865  fourteen  of  his  grand  and  great  grand  child- 
ren were  college  graduates.  Not  all  of  them  lived  in  Dunbar- 
ton,  but  Samuel's  son,  Bradford,  and  most  of  his  children  lived 
here.  Henry  Larcom,  son  of  Bradford,  was  a  successful  teach- 
er and  land  surveyor  ;  he  represented  the  town  in  the  Legisla- 
ture and  was  also  State  Senator.  The  last  years  of  his  life 
were  passed  in  Manchester  where  he  died  in  1893.  His  son, 
Henry  Eben,  is  a  lawyer  in  Manchester,  and  was  for  a  time 
Judge  of  Probate.  He  was  born  November  8,  1844,  in  the  Dr. 
Harris  house,  and  is  an  honored  son  of  Dunbarton.  He  was 
elected  United  States  Senator  by  the  Legislature  of  1901,  for 
the  term  of  six  years  and  succeeded  Senator  William  E.  Chandler. 

Hannah,  eldest  daughter  of  Bradford  Burnham,  married 
Samuel  Burnham  from  Essex,  Mass  ;  she  died  in  November, 
igoi.  Her  two  daughters  were  teachers  for  many  years  ;  the 
younger,  Annie  M.,  taught  in  Illinois  and  Oregon  until  recently. 
Two  sons  were  college  graduates,  Josiah,  ai  Amherst  iniS67; 
William  H.,  at  Harvard  in  1S82.  The  latter  is  instructor  in 
Clark  University,  Worcester,  and  a  writer  and  lecturer  of  great 
ability.  A  daughter  of  his  brother,  Samuel  G.  Burnham  of 
St.  Louis,  graduated  from  Washington  University  with  high 
honors,  ranking  second  in  a  class  of  eighty-two. 


SKETCH    OF    DUNBARTON,   N.    H.  11 

Three  sons  of  Henry  Putney  were  students  at  Dartmouth 
College,  though  the  second  son,  Frank,  did  not  graduate, 
leaving  college  to  enter  the  army  in  1861. 

Thirty  or  more  of  the  sons  of  Dunbarton  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth College,  while  ten  or  twelve  others  took  a  partial  course. 
John  Gould,  Jr.,  and  Abel  K.  Wilson,  died  at  college,  Three 
graduated  at  Wab.ash  College,  Indiana,  two  at  Union  College, 
Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  and  one  each  at  Yale,  Harvard,  and  Am- 
herst Colleges,  and  Brown  University.  It  is  said  that  at  one 
time  there  were  more  students  from  Dunbarton  in  Dartmouth 
College  than  from  any  other  town  in  the  State, 

There  have  been  several  graduates  from  Normal  Schools, 
Ralph  Ireland  and  Ethel  Jameson  from  the  school  at  Bridge- 
water,  Mass.  The  former  is  now  teaching  in  Gloucester,  Mass., 
and  the  latter  in  Boston,  Mass.  Ella  and  Leannette  L.  Mills 
(the  latter  the  daughter  of  Leroy  R.  Mills ),  graduated  from  the 
school  at  Salem,  Mass.  Lydia  Marshall,  now  holding  a  gov- 
ernment position  in  Washington,  D.  C,  Mary  Caldwell  (now 
Mrs,  Aaron  C.  Barnard),  and  Lizzie  Bunten  (now  Mrs.  James 
P,  Tuttle,  of  Manchester)^  took  a  partial  or  whole  course  at  the 
school  at  Plymouth,  N.  H,  Louise  Parker  and  Mary  A.  Stin- 
son  graduated  at  Kimball  Academy,  Meriden,  N,  FI,  Mnny 
others  have  been  students  at  McCollom  Institute,  Mount  Ver- 
non, Pembroke,  and  other  academies,  and  several  have  taken 
the  course  at  the  Concord  High  School.  Among  the  teachers  of 
the  long  ago  may  be  named  Antoinette  Putnam,  Lizzie  and  Ann 
Burnham,  Jane  Stinson,  Nancy  Stinson,  Sarah  and  Marianne 
Parker,  and  Susan  and  Margaret  Holmes,  The  list  is  too  long 
for  further  mention. 

Among  college  graduates  who  made  teaching  their  life  work 
were  William  Parker,  who  died  in  Winchester,  Illinois,  in  1865  ; 
Caleb  Mills,  who  was  connected  with  Wabash  College,  Indiana, 
from  1833  until  his  death  in  1S79.  He  was  greatly  interested 
in  the  cause  of  education,  and  was  known  as  the  father  of  pub- 
lic schools  in  Indiana;  Joseph  Gibson  Hoyt,  who  was  called 
the  most  brilliant  son  Dunbarton  ever  educated  ;  he  taught  sev- 


12  MANCHESTER    HISTORIC    COLLECTIONS. 

eral  years  in  Phillips  Academy,  Exeter,  and  was  Chancellor  of 
Washington  University,  St,  Louis,  Missouri,  taking  charge  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1859  ;  inaugurated  October  4,  1859  ;  died  November  26, 
1862  ;  Charles  G.  Burnham,  orator  at  the  Centennial,  in  1865, 
who  died  in  Montgomery,  Alabama,  in  1866  ;  Mark  Bailey,  who 
has  taught  elocution  at  Yale  since  1855,  besides  spending  some 
weeks  of  each  year  in  former  times  at  Dartmouth,  Princeton,  and 
other  places.  Samuel  Burnham,  the  first  graduate,  should  have 
been  mentioned  earlier.  He  was  principal  of  tht  academy  at 
Derry  for  many  years;  William  E.  Bunten  taught  in  Atkinson, 
N.  H.,  Marblehead,  Mass.,  and  in  New  York,  where  he  died  in 
1897  ;  Matthew  S.  McCurdy,  grandson  and  namesake  of  Dea- 
con McCurdy,  is  instructor  at  Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  Mass. 
Although  not  a  college  student,  John,  brother  of  Thomas  and 
James  F.  Mills,  spent  many  years  in  teaching  in  Ohio  and  West 
Virginia;  he  died  in  1879.  Among  those  who  have  been  both 
teachers  and  journalists  are  Amos  Hadley  of  Concord,  Henry 
M.  Putney,  now  on  the  editorial  staff  of  the  Manchester  Daily 
and  Weekly  Mirror  \  William  A.  (brother  of  Henry  M)  who 
died  some  years  ago  in  Fairmount,  Nebraska;  and  John  B. 
Mills,  now  at  Grand  Rapids,  Michigan.  George  H.  Twiss,  of 
Columbus,  Ohio,  has  been  a  teacher,  superintendent  of  schools, 
and  proprietor  of  a  bookstore. 

Of  the  native  clergymen,  Leonard  S.  Parker  is  probably  the 
oldest  now  living.  He  has  held  several  pastorates,  and  is  now 
assistant  pastor  of  the  Shepard  Memorial  Church,  Cambridge, 
Mass.  One  of  the  early  college  graduates  was  Isaac  Garvin, 
son  of  Sam  Garvin,  whose  name  was  a  by  word  among  his 
neighbors  ;  "  as  shiftless  as  Sam  Garvin  "  was  a  common  say- 
ing. Isaac  obtained  his  education  under  difficulties  which 
would  have  discouraged  most  men,  and  at  first  even  Dr.  Harris 
thinking  it  not  worth  wihle  to  help  him.  He  probably  studied 
divinity  with  Dr.  Harris,  and  was  ordained  in  the  Congrega- 
tional Churchj  but  late  in  life  took  orders  in  the  Episcopal 
Church  in  New  York.  There  were  two  Rev.  Abraham  Burn- 
hams,  uncle  and  nephew,  and   Rev.  Amos    W.  Burnham,  whose 


SKETCH    OF    DUNBARTON,    N.    H.  13 

only  pastorate  was  Rindge  where  he  preached  forty-six  years. 
Thomas  Jameson  held  pastorates  in  Scarborough  and  Gorham, 
Maine  ;  he  was  blind  during  his  last  years.  Charles  H.  Mar- 
shall preached  in  various  places  in  Indiana,  and  died  nearly  thir- 
ty years  ago.  Ephraim  O.  Jameson  held  several  pastorates  ;  he 
is  now  retired  and  living  in  Boston.  He  has  compiled  several 
genealogies  and  town  histories.  Rev.  George  A.  Putnam,  son 
of  the  second  pastor  of  the  church  in  Dunbarton,  preached  for 
several  years  in  Yarmouth,  Maine,  then  went  to  Milibury,  Mass., 
in  187 1,  where  he  ^.till  resides  —  an  unusually  long  pastorate 
in  these  times.    John  P.  Mills  is  preaching  in  Michigan. 

Of  the  native  Baptist  ministers  were  Hosea  Wheeler,  Harri- 
son C.  Page,  who  died  at  Newton  Theological  Seminary  just 
before  the  completion  of  his  course,  and  who  gave  promise  of 
great  ability;  and  the  brothers  Joel  and  Christie  Wheeler  who 
entered  the  ministry  without  a  collegiate  education^  and  both 
preached  in  Illinois. 

Though  the  people  of  Dunbarton  are  too  peaceable  and  hon- 
est to  need  the  services  of  a  lawyer,  at  least  a  dozen  young  men 
entered  the  legal  profession.  One  of  the  earliest  college 
graduates,  Jeremiah  Stinson,  having  studied  law,  opened  an 
office  in  his  native  town,  but  devoted  the  most  of  his  time  to 
agriculture.  He  met  with  an  accidental  death  at  the  age  of 
thirty-six  year?.  Among  those  who  continued  to  practice  law 
were  John  Burnham  in  Hillsborough,  John  Jameson  in  Maine, 
John  Tenney  in  Methuen,  Mass  ,  Judge  Joseph  M.  Cavis  in 
California,  David  B.  Kimball  in  Salem,  Mass.,  Newton  H.  Wil- 
son in  Duluth,  Minn.,  and  Henry  £.  Burnham  in  Manchester, 
Only  the  three  last  named  are  now  living. 

The  people  of  Dunbarton  are  proud  of  the  fact  that  there 
has  been  no  resident  physician  in  town  for  more  than  forty 
years.  The  last,  a  Dr.  Gilson,  was  here  for  a  short  time  only. 
Dr.  Dugall  was  probably  the  first ;  while  others  were  Doctors 
Symnes  Sawyer,  Clement,  Mighill,  Stearns,  and  Merrill. 

True  Morse  was  a  seventh  son  ;  so  was  Rev.  Mr.  Putnam, 
but  he  refused  to  use  his  supposed  powers.     Among  the  native 


14  MANCHESTER    HISTORIC    COLLECTIONS. 

physicians  were  Abram  B.  Story,  who  died  not  long  since  in 
Manchester,  William  Ryder,  John  L.  Colby,  Gilman  Leach, 
David  P.  Goodhue,  a  surgeon  in  the  Navy,  John  and  Charles 
Mills.  The  two  last  named  practiced  in  Champaign,  Illinois, 
and  were  living  there  when  last  heard  from.  William  Caldwell 
is  well  remembered  as  a  veterinary  surgeon. 

Of  dentists  we  may  name  John  B.  Prescott,  D.  D.  S.,  of 
Manchester,  a  graduate  of  Pennsylvania  Dental  College,  and 
the  late  Dr.  Edward  Ryder  of  Portsmouth. 

Nothwithstanding  this  exodus  of  professional  men  and  others, 
many  good  and  wise  men  made  the  place  their  home.  Deacon 
John  Mills  was  town  treasurer  for  thirty  five  years,  selectman 
twenty-two  years,  and  representative  eight  years.  He  built  the 
house  afterwards  owned  by  his  son-in  law.  Deacon  Daniel  H. 
Parker,  who  was  also  a  good  citizen  ;  as  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
he  transacted  much  law  business  and  settled  many  estates  ;  he 
held  many  town  offices,  was  a  thrifty  farmer,  and  accumulated  a 
large  fortune. 

Henry  Putney,  of  the  fourth  generation  from  the  first  settler 
of  that  name,  was  another  strong  man,  who  with  Deacon  Par- 
ker and  Eliphalet  Sargent  formed  a  board  of  selectmen  in  the 
troubled  limes  of  the  Civil  War,  that  did  good  service  for  the 
town.  His  only  daughter  is  the  wife  of  Nahum  J.  Bachelder, 
secretary  of  State  Board  of  Agriculture.  He  had  six  sons,  five 
of  whom  are  now  living. 

The  name  of  Oliver  Bailey  has  been  known  in  town  for  several 
generations.  The  present  representative  of  that  name  is  one 
of  the  elder  men  of  the  town,  a  thrifty  farmer,  and  was  formerly 
in  company  with  his  son,  George  O.  Bailey,  a  cattle  dealer  on  a 
large  scale.  His  brother,  James  M.  Bailey,  still  owns  part  of 
the  paternal  acres.  Their  father,  Oliver  Bailey,  removed  late 
in  life,  to  Bow  Mills,  where  he  died  in  1889.  John  C.  Ray 
owned  a  beautiful  home  in  the  west  part  of  the  town  ;  he  was 
superintendent  of  th2  State  Industrial  School  in  Manchester 
for  about  twenty-five  years  before  his  death  in  189S. 
The  brothers,  Captain  Charles   and  William  C.  Stinson,  were 


SKETCH    OF    DUNBARTON,    N.    H. 


16 


wealthy  farmers  in  the  south  part  of  the  town  ;  the  former  re- 
moved to  Goffstown,  and  his  farm  is  owned  by  Philander  Lord. 
The  house  is  probably  one  of  the  oldest  in  town.  The  last 
years  of  William  C.  Stinson  were  spent  in  Manchester.  Harris 
E.  Ryder  was  the  first  Master  of  Stark  Grange  which  was  or- 
ganized in  October,  1874.  His  buildings  were  burned  in  1875, 
and  not  long  afterwards  he  located  in  Bedford,  where  he  died. 
His  brother,  Charles  G.  B.  Ryder,  served  on  the  school  com- 
mittee for  several  years.  He  removed  to  Manchester  many 
years  ago  and  was  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business  for  many 
years ;  he  died  there  several  years  ago.  The  buildings  on  his 
farm  were  burned  in  July,  1899. 

Major  Caleb,  son  of  General  John  Stark,  built  a  house  in 
the  west  part  of  the  town  which  is  still  owned  by  the  family 
and  is  filled  with  interesting  relics.  His  son,  Caleb,  was  the 
author  of  the  "  History  of  Dunbarton,"  published  in  i860.  He 
and  two  unmarried  sisters  spent  much  time  here,  the  last  survi- 
vor. Miss  Charlotte,  dying  in  1889,  aged  about  ninety  years. 
She  was  a  fine  specimen  of  the  old  time  gentlewoman,  much 
given  to  hospitality.  The  place  is  now  owned  in  part  by  her 
grand  nephew,  Charles  F.  M.  Stark,  a  descendant  on  the 
mother's  side  from  Robert  Morris,  the  great  financier  of  Revo- 
lutionary times.  His  only  son,  John  McNiel  Stark,  graduated 
from  Holderness  School,  June,  1900.  The  Stark  cemetery  is  a 
beautiful  and  well  kept  resting  place  of  the  dead.  Besides 
Stark,  the  names  of  Winslow,  Newell,  and  McKinstry  are  seen 
on  the  headstones.  Benjamin  Marshall,  and  his  son,  Enoch, 
were  prominent  men  in  town.  Many  other  names  should  be 
mentioned,  but  space  forbids. 

The  daughters  of  Dunbarton  are  not  less  worthy  of  mention 
than  her  sons.  Some  of  the  teachers  have  already  been  men- 
tioned. Another  was  Marianne,  sister  of  Deacon  Parker,  who 
married  a  Doctor  Dascomb  and  went  with  him  to  Oberlin,  Ohio, 
where  he  became  profe:sor  of  chemistry  in  Oberlin  College. 
She  was  lady  principal.  It  was  said  that  there  were  two  saints 
in  the  Oberlin  calendar,  President  Finney  and   Mrs.  Dascomb. 


16  MANCHESTER    HISTORIC   COLLECTIONS. 

Three  of  her  sisters  married  ministers.  Ann  married  Rev. 
Isaac  Bird,  and  went  with  him  to  Turkey  as  a  missionary ;  and 
Emily  married  Rev.  James  Kimball  of  Oakham,  Mass.  ;  and 
Martha,  Rev.  Thomas  Tenney  ;  one  of  her  daughters  is  the  wife 
of  the  late  Rev.  Cyrus  Hamlin.  Two  of  Deacon  Parker's 
daughters  are  the  wives  of  ministers.  Louise  is  Mrs.  Lucien  H. 
Frary  of  Pomona,  California,  and  Abby  is  Mrs.  John  L.  R. 
Trask  of  Springfield,  Mass.  Dr.  Trask  has  been  for  many 
years  trustee  of  Mt.  Holyoke  College. 

Mary,  daughter  of  Deacon  John  Mills,  married  Rev.  Mr. 
William  Patrick  of  Boscawen  ;  Dr.  Mary  Mills  Patrick,  President 
of  the  American  College  for  Girl  sat  Constantinople,  is  her  step- 
daughter and  namesake.  Sarah,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Mar- 
shall, married  Caleb  Mills  who  studied  theology,  though  his 
life  work  was  teaching.  Mary  F.,  daughter  of  Deacon  John 
Paige,  married  Rev.  David  Webster,  now  of  Lebanon,  Maine. 
Mary  L.,  daughter  of  John  Kimball  of  Miiford,  formerly  of  Dun- 
barton,  has  been  for  more  than  ten  years  the  wife  of  Rev.  Arthur 
Remington,  now  in  Philadelphia.  Perhaps  the  latest  addition 
to  the  list  is  Hannah  C  ,  eldest  daughter  of  Horace  Caldwell, 
who,  January,  1899,  married  Rev.  Avery  A.  K.  Gleason,  then 
pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church  in  Dunbarton,  now  Rayn- 
ham,  Mass. 

Mary  A.  daughter  of  Captain  Charles  Stinson,  married 
Charles  A.  Pillsbury,  known  as  the  flour  king  of  Minneapolisj 
who  died  more  than  a  year  ago. 

Though  the  rough  and  rocky  soil  is  poorly  adapted  to  culti- 
vation, Dunbarton  is,  and  always  has  been,  emphatically  a 
farming  town.  Yet  a  long  list  of  mechanics  might  be  given. 
Carpenters,  blacksmiths,  painters  and  masons  still  ply  their 
trades,  but  the  mill  wrights,  shoemakers,  tanners,  coopers,  tail- 
ors, tailoresses,  and  pump  makers  are  people  of  the  past.  Less 
than  fifty  years  ago  a  tannery  was  in  operation  at  the  place 
owned  by  Benjamin  Fitts,  and  a  good  sized  pond  covered  the 
space  opposite  the  house  of  Justus  Lord.  It  was  used  on  sev- 
eral occasions  by  the  Baptists  as  a  place  of  immersion. 


SKETCH    OF    DUNBARTON,    N.    H. 


17 


William  Tenney  was  the  carpenter  who  built  the  town  hall ; 
Captain  Samuel  Kimball,  the  present  Congregational  Church, 
and  many  dwelling-houses.  Others  were  the  work  of  John 
Leach.  The  man  now  living  who  has  done  more  of  this  work 
than  any  other  is  John  D.  Bunten,  whose  work  has  always  been 
done  in  a  thorough  manner. 

The  stone  blacksmith  shop  of  Jonathan  Waite  has  been  used 
by  three  generations,  now  only  for  the  family  work.  John  B. 
Ireland  still  uses  the  shop  of  his  father,  while  Lauren  P.  Had- 
ley's  specialty  is  iron  work  on  wagons.  During  the  past  few 
years  much  timber  has  been  removed  by  the  aid  of  portable 
steam  mills. 

The  first  store  in  town  was  kept  by  Major  Caleb  Stark  at 
Page's  Corner.  He  had  several  successors,  among  them  being 
Jeremiah  Page  and  John  Kimball.  At  the  Center  I  find,  in  the 
"  History  of  Dunbarton,"  a  long  list  of  store-keepers,  among 
whom  was  David  Tenney,  one  of  whose  ledgers  is  still  pre- 
served, where  the  entries  of  New  England  rum  sold  to  the  most 
respectable  citizens  are  as  numerous  as  tea  and  coffee  now- 
a-days. 

Deacon  Burnham  kept  the  store  for  many  years,  and  later 
Thomas  Wilson  and  his  son  Oliver  kept  the  store.  The  latter 
also  did  considerable  business  as  a  photographer  for  a  time. 
His  son  in  law,  John  Bunten,  is  the  present  proprietor  of  the 
store.  The  business  has  increased  greatly  with  the  sending  out 
of  teams  to  take  orders  and  deliver  goods  in  various  parts  of  the 
town. 

Among  the  successful  business  men  who  have  left  town  may 
be  named  Lyman  W.  Colby,  who  was  a  successful  photographer 
in  Manchester  for  more  than  thirty  years,  and  whose  recent 
sudden  death  is  greatly  to  be  deplored  by  his  many  friends  ;  John 
C.  Stinson,  a  merchant  of  Gloucester,  N.  J. ;  Samuel  G.  Burn- 
ham  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri :  and  the  late  Fred  D.  Sargent, 
owner  of  a  restaurant  in  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  where  he  furnished  meals 
to  500  people  daily,  and  to  many  more  on  extra  occasions.  He 
had  also  a  branch  establishment  at    Milwaukee,   Wisconsin,  of 


18  MANCHESTER    HISTORIC    COLLECTIONS. 

which  his  brother,  Frank  H.  Sargent  is  manager.  For  several 
years  a  newspaper  was  published  by  Oscar  H,  A.  Chamberlen, 
called  The  Snow-Flake,  afterwards  The  Analeda. 

The  first  library  in  town  was  kept  at  the  house  of  Benjamin 
Whipple,  and  was  called  the  Dunbarton  Social  Library.  Some 
of  the  books  are  still  preserved.  A  parish  library,  containing 
many  valuable  works,  was  collected  by  Miss  Mary  Stark,  and 
was  for  many  years  the  source  of  pleasure  and  profit  to  the 
attendants  at  St.  John's  Church.  Some  years  after  her  death 
the  books  were  given  to  a  Library  Association,  formed  at  the 
Center,  which  in  turn  was  merged  with  the  Public  Library, 
founded  in  1892,  of  which  Miss  Hannah  K.  Caldwell  was,  till 
her  marriage,  the  efficient  librarian.  The  position  is  now  filled 
by  Mabel  Kelly.     A  library  is  also  owned  by  Stark  Grange. 

For  the  past  thirty  years  or  more,  many  summer  boarders 
have  come  to  Dunbarton.  The  houses  of  James  M.  Bailey, 
William  B.  Burnham,  and  Peter  Butterfield,  were  well  filled  for 
several  years,  while  at  many  other  places  some  people  were 
accommodated.  At  the  present  time  two  houses  at  the  Center, 
owned  by  Henry  P.  Kelly,  are  filled  every  summer;  also  the 
house  of  Frank  C.  Woodbury,  the  former  home  of  Deacon  Par- 
ker on  the  "  hill  beautiful,"  where  "  glorious  golden  summers 
wax  and  wane,  where  radiant  autumns  all  their  splendors  shed." 

The  pure  air  of  Dunbarton  seems  to  be  conducive  to  long 
life.  Two  citizens  passed  the  century  mark.  Mrs.  Joseph 
Leach  died  in  1849,  aged  102  years,  9  monlhs.  Mrs.  Achsah 
P.  (Tenney)  Whipplelived  to  the  age  of  100  years,  9  months. 
Her  centennial  birthday  was  celebrated  June  28,  1886,  by  a 
large  gathering  of  relatives  and  friends.  Her  only  daughter 
married  Joseph  A  Gilmore,  for  many  years  Superintendent  of 
the  Concord  Railroad,  and  also  Governor  of  New  Hampshire. 
Her  grand  daughter  was  the  first  wife  of  Hon.  William  E.  Chan- 
dler, who,  doubtless,  has  pleasant  recollections  of  his  visits  to 
his  betrothed  at  the  home  of  her  grandparents. 

Among  the  residents  of  the  town  who  attained  the  age  of 
90  years  or  more  were  Mrs.  Mary  Story,  98  years,  4  months,  12 


SKETCH    OF    DUNBARTON,    N.    H.  19 

days  ;  Mrs.  Ann  C,  widow  of  Deacon  John  Wilson,  98  years  ; 
Deacon  John  Church,  97  years;  Mrs.  Abigail  (Burnham)  Ire- 
land, 94  years  ;  There  were  several  others  whose  ages  I  do  not 
know.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Guild,  near  the  Bow  line,  I  think  were 
over  90  years.  Many  have  passed  the  age  of  80  years.  Dea- 
con Samuel  Burnham  is  now  88  years  ;  he  and  his  wife  lived 
together  mote  than  63  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Stone  lived 
together  more  than  65  years.  Mrs.  Stone  survived  her  husband 
only  a  few  weeks.  Colonel  Samuel  B.  Hammond  and  wife  cel- 
ebrated their  golden  wedding  in  1892. 

Stark  Grange  is  the  only  secret  society  in  town,  though  some 
individuals  belong  to  societies  in  adjoining  towns.  The  mem- 
bership of  Stark  Grange  is  about  ninety. 

The  patriotism  of  the  town   has   always   been    unquestioned. 

Dunbarton  has  sent  her  sons  to  battle  for  the  right  in  every 
war.  Seventeen  men  took  part  in  the  French  and  Indian  War, 
including  Major  Robert  Rogers,  and  other  men  by  the  names 
of  Rogers,  Stark.  McCurdy.  and  others. 

In  the  Revolutionary  Army  were  fifty-seven  from  Dunbarton, 
including  the  brothers  John  and  Thomas  Mills,  William  Beard, 
and  others.  Caleb  Stark,  afterwards  a  resident,  though  very 
youug,  was  with  his  father  at  Bunker  Hill. 

Henry  L.  Burnham  used  to  tell  a  story  of  a  cave  on  the 
farm  which  was  his  home  for  many  years  (now  owned  by  John 
Haynes)  which  once  sheltered  a  deserter  from  the  Revolution- 
ary Army.  The  man  afterwards  went  to  the  northern  part  of 
the  State,  and  at  the  very  hour  of  his  death,  during  a  heavy 
thunder  shower,  the  entrance  to  the  cave  was  closed  so  con> 
pletely  that  the  most  diligent  search  has  failed  to  discover  any 
trace  of  it. 

In  the  war  of  1812,  eleven  enlisted,  and  twelve  were  drafted. 
Probably  Benjamin  Bailey  was  the  last  survivor.  Among  those 
who  went  to  the  Mexican  War  were  Benjamin  Whipple  and 
Charles  G.  Clement. 

Dunbarton  sent  more  than  fifty  men  to  the  Civil  War ;  sev- 
eral  sent  substitutes.     To  three  men  were  given  captain's  com- 


20  MANCHESTER    HISTORIC    COLLECTIONS. 

missions,  namely,  William  E.  Bunten,  Henry  M.  Caldwell,  who 
died  of  fever  in  Falmouth,  Va.,  in  1862,  and  Andrew  J,  Stone, 
who  was  killed  at  the  Battle  of  the  Wilderness  in  1864.  Mar- 
cus M.  Holmes  returned  a  lieutenant  and  Horace  Caldwell  was 
orderly  sargeant  ;  Wilbur  F.  Brown  died  of  starvation  at  Ander- 
sonville,  and  Benjamin  Twiss  narrowly  escaped  a  like  fate  at 
Libby  Prison.  He  was  suffocated  in  a  mine  in  the  Far  Wei>t  not 
very  long  ago. 

Two  young  men  went  to  the  Spanish-American  War  who 
were  born  in  Dunbarton,  and  had  lived  here  the  larger  part  of 
their  lives,  namely,  William  J.  Sawyer,  who  enlisted  in  the  New 
Hampshire  Regiment  from  Concord,  and  Fred  H  Mills,  who 
enlisted  at  Marlboro,  Mass.,  in  the  Sixth  Massachusetts  Regi- 
ment, He  died  in  GofTstown,  June  26,  1900,  of  disease  con- 
tracted in  the  army. 

No  railroad  touches  the  town,  and  probably  never  will,  but 
an  electric  car  route  over  the  hill  has  been  prophesied. 

The  mail  has  always  come  by  way  of  Concord,  and  the  car- 
rier's wagon  has  furnished  transportation  for  many  people. 
Hon  William  E.  Chandler  drove  the  mail  wagon  for  a  time  some 
fifty  years  ago.  The  postoffice  was  first  established  in  1817, 
at  the  Center;  another  at  North  Dunbarton  in  1834;  a  third 
at  East  Dunbarton  in  1883.  In  1899  the  free  rural  delivery 
system  was"  adopted,  giving  general  satisfaction  to  the  residents. 

I  have  written  chiefly  of  the  past  history  of  the  to'vn,  but  I 
think  I  may  say  that  the  people  of  the  presentday  are  endeavor- 
ing to  maintain  as  good  a  reputation  as  their  ancestors. 


U.C  BERKELEY  LIBRARJES 


^^ 


